UPDATE: SEAL Team Six member killed rescuing kidnapped Colorado Springs doctor
A member of the Navy’s SEAL Team Six was killed rescuing kidnapped Colorado Springs doctor Dilip Joseph from the Taliban.
Petty Officer 1st Class Nicolas D. Checque, 28, of Monroeville, Pa. died of combat-related injuries.
Dr. Joseph was in Afghanistan providing medical care to people there. He was captured Wednesday and rescued Saturday. U.S. intelligence indicated his life was in imminent danger.
President Barack Obama praised the work done by special operations, and extended his “thoughts and prayers” to the family of Checque.
“He gave his life for his fellow Americans, and he and his teammates remind us once more of the selfless service that allows our nation to stay strong, safe and free,” Obama said.
Joseph was one of three people captured while returning from a visit to a medical clinic in eastern Kabul Province. The group was taken by a group of armed men and driven to a mountainous area about 50 miles from the Pakistan border.
All three people captured by the Taliban work for Morning Star Development, a missionary group which, according to its website, assists the people of Afghanistan through economic and community development initiatives. Morning Star Development is based out of Colorado Springs.
A statement on the group’s website indicated that the two other kidnapping victims were released 11 hours before the rescue mission for Joseph, thanks to negotiations with the Taliban.
The statement also said Joseph was unharmed.
One of Joseph’s neighbors was surprised to learn that the man making international headlines lives just down the street.
“I caught an article online and saw an American had been rescued in Afghanistan, but I didn’t make a connection that he was in my neighborhood until you came to my door,” neighbor James Jackson told KRDO Newschannel 13 Sunday.
He said he’s never met Joseph, but would like to.
“I would love to congratulate him for doing service for his country over there as a humanitarian,” said Jackson. “I would love to meet him and get to known him a little bit more. Buy him a beer later.”
A KRDO Newschannel 13 photographer caught up with Joseph’s family outside their Colorado Springs home Sunday. They did not want to comment on the rescue, but said they were on their way to the airport to reunite with him.
